New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-05
CHINESE GUILDS AND TRADES UNION

CHINESE GUILDS AND TRADES UNIONS
The Journal of the Chinese Branch of the
Royal Asiatic Society recently PUBLISHED an
interesting article by Dr. d. j. Mcgowan on
Chinese Guilds or Chambers OF Commerce
and Trades Unions" II appears that the
Chinese Guild Is an ancient institution, while
cuIiOusly enough, the trades union Is compare
lively modern in the Middle Kingdom though
even il has a record there Of from one TO two
centuries. Tho Guild is an institution by
which banking, the opium and tea trades and
wholesale merchandising generally arc con-
trollcd. The guilds perform the functions
Of chambers Of commerce and sometimes o.
clearing houses. They regulate questions Of
storage, insurance, credit and so forth As
rule they appear TO act bcnclcently, and one
proof Of this is that several times when rogush
Cinnamon have been trying TO get the better
OF foreigners in trade a threat to refer the
dispute to their own guild haa quickly brought
them TO terms the inference being that they
feared tho Justice Of their countymcn. The
guilds havo long been familiar with The prin-
ciplo Of the boycott, which is employed M an
instrument Of discipline, but is rarely inflicted
outside Of the organization. The rule, of the
guilds arc drastic and only the necessity of
union q fence against unlimited Compel
ton probably renders the despotism toerablc
As to Chinese tradetunions, they differ radi-
cally from those of this country and England
DR. Mcgowan rays they are generally COM
poscd Of masters and worI<mcn, united a.
against society In some trades where work
men are numerous iOumcymcn have their own
organizations, but generally when they have
occasion to combine against employers (of
which instances are rarc) they meet In some
temple begin a strike, peacefully accomplish
their object and disband." Some of their
unions are very strong and wealthy. Thus
the Ningpo Fishmongcrs' Union has a reserve
fund Of 100000, which is lent TO banks at
one-half OF one per cent interest Black
smiths, carpenters silk wcavers wire drawers
and in short all occupations. have their unions.
Many of them adopt the principles in use here
AZ to apprentices, rigidly restricting the
number Of them. Strikes arc infreouent.
though not Illegal and this is strange. con.
siderng tho character of the conditions. Pr.
Mcgowan says: "A strike of journeymcn for
Increase Of wages rarely fails to be successful.
for if it goes so far TO cndanger public
tranquility magistrates interpose, and the
strikers being too numerous TO be logged and
too poor to pay for the mulcting operation,
hands arc laid on the masters, who can
always DO had when fleeing is feasible !:
and they. TO avoid such result Of ,ttrike.
wisely surrender; a state Of things, however.
OF which worllmcn take no unfair advantage
That last statement may well give III pause
Is it credible that if in any other country the
employed held such rod in terror over the
employers they would bc disposed to "tako
no unfair advantages Such state of things,
indeed, would be regarded by some trades
unions as parsdisiacal. They could imagine
no moro ideal arrangement and it cannot be
doubted thatin tho place Of the conservative